Rocking



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

D. B. HARTLEY. ROCKING, RBGLINING, AND EASY GHAIR.

No. 276,687. Patented May 1,1883.

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,D. B. HARTLEY. ROCKING, REGLINING, AND EASY CHAIR.

No. 276,687. 3 J? 3 PaJtented May 1,1883.

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UNITED STATES PAT NT OFFICE.

D. BERT HARTLEY, OF UHIOAGO, ILLINOIS.

ROCKING, RECLINING, AND EASY CHAIR.

SPEGIFTCATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 276,687, dated May 1, 1883.

Applieationfiled March22,188$2. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, D. BERT HARTLEY,0f Chicago, in the county of Cook and Stateof Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Rockin g, Reclining, and Easy Chair, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, that will enable others to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in that class of chairs which are adapted to be converted from an upright to a reclining positiou, and changed from an easy to a rocking chair, as may be desired; and itconsists in the construction and arrangement of the parts, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth in detail.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a chair embodying my improvement, the back being in a reclining position and the foot-rest-extended. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partially in section, with the back in an upright position and the foot-rest folded underneath the chair-seat; Fig. 3, a detached top view of the foot-rest and sliding frame. Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 are detached details of construction.

Referring to the drawings,A represents the back or the chair, A the rocking members, and A the supporting-base; The arms A, supporting the head-rest A, and the side arms, B,

are connected by means of-the ratchet-wheels a 0., having the strap-extension ed, as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. These ratchetwheels are placed on the inside of the. arms, and are attached by means of the screws a, which pass through the strap-extension a as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The joining faces of these ratchet-wheels are provided .with a series of teeth, and are adapted to engage with each other for the purpose of securing the head-rest at any point in the line of adjustment without reference to the inclination or position of the back of the chair proper. The ratchet-wheels are perforated for the reception of the rod B, which passes clear through both sides of the chair and provides apivotal bearing forthesc parts. The pro- 5o je'cting ends of the rod B are threaded for the reception ofthelocking nut or nuts a. By slackmg up on the same the parts will spread just I enough to throw the ratchet-wheels out of engagement and allow the head-restto be adjusted, as may be required, while by tightening up on the same the head-rest is secured at an y point. The lower end of the side arms, B, are pivoted to the short arms B the lower ends of which are attached to the upper part of the rocking members. The wooden arms B are provided with the metallic connectingarm b, which passes through the longitudinal center of the same, as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings. The upper end of the arm I), projecting beyond the wood of the short arm B is incased in the lower end of the arm B. Upon the lower end of arm b is a ratchet-wheel, b, which abuts against the lower end of arm B and is adapted to engage with the correspondiug ratchet-wheel, b embedded in the rocking member or members A. The ratchet-wheel b is provided with the flange I), having perforations b forthepassageot'attaching-screws, as shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings. These ratchet-wheels are provided with the shallow recess B for the reception of the coiled spring B having the ends secured in the wheels, and as the same are rotated the tension on the spring is increased or diminished accordingly. This spring or springs serve to equalize the weight of the bodies to which they are attached, and prevent the parts from dropping too suddenly when the ratchet-wheels are disengaged for the purpose of changing the back of the chair to a new position. Similar springs are employed in the head-rest mechanism.

The rod 0 (shown in Fig.6 of the drawings) extends through from side to side, and provides pivotal bearings for the ratchet-wheels as they are rotated in adjusting the back of the chair. The eccentric end of the clampinglever O is slotted, so as to engage with the projecting end of the rod 0, and is pivoted thereto, so as to be capable of being thrown up or down, as indicated in Fig. 6 of the drawings, in looking or unlocking these parts when adjusting the back of the chair.

The foot-rest D is adjusted by hand, and may be drawn out or pushed back underneath the chair-seat without the necessity of the occupant arising from the chair.

The sliding frame D (shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings) forms a part of the foot-rest attachment, and fits in between the rocking menihere. This sliding frame is provided withthe bolts d d d d, which have a sleeve or roller placedbetween theheadsandtheframe. These rollers are adapted to fit into the grooves D (shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings) on the inside of the rocking members, which are curved to correspond to the circle-0t the rockers, the sliding frame D being similarly curved. The staples d", placed on the inside of the sliding frame D, provide bearin gs through which move the unattached ends of the levers D D, the opposite ends being pivoted to the footrest I) by means of the bolts F F. The footrest D being pivoted to the frame D by bolts F F the levers D 1) rest and slide on the same as the foot-rest is adjusted. This arrangement forms a lever-hinge for the proper adjustment and support of the foot-rest.

The foot-rest D, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, is drawn out to the farthest point, and by folding the same over, as indicated by the dotted lines, the rest is brought nearer to the chair, and is also in proper position to be pushed underneath the chair and out of the way when not required for use, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. This foot-rest D is a' .hollow box having the top or cover f hinged thereto, and provided with a suitable fastening for securing the same, and is more especiall y intended'as a receptacle for a boot-brush and blacking; but may be used as a receptacle for various articles.

The rocking members may be attached to the supporting-base by means of any of the various devices usually employed for this purpose, and when not required to be used as a rocking-chair the rocking members may be secured in a stationary position by means of the hooks E, (shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings,) the lower ends of which are pivoted to the supporting-base, while the upper or hooked ends are adapted to engage with eyebolts inserted in the rocking members. By this arrangement the chair is adapted to be used as an easy, reclining, and rocking chair; or the same reclining mechanism and foot-rest attachment may be employed in connection with a chair constructed with legs instead of rockingmembers.

The clutch-box consisting of the ratchet- Wheels and spring may be used with various other devices requiring mechanism of this nature, and particularly for the pivotal joints in buggy or carriage tops.

1 am aware that chairs having their parts pivoted together to permit of a tilting movement, rods having a clamping-rod, and an adjusting cap or nut for holding parts together, ratchet-wheels meshing with each other, and having a spring which forces them apart, and a cam-lever for drawing parts together, are all 'old, and to them I make no claim.

I make no specific claim in this application to the clutch mechanism, the foot-rest, and the device for locking the chair against rocking, as they will form the subject-matter of separate applications.

the parts together,

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaiin as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a reclining-chair having its parts pivoted together, the combination, with one part thereof having a ratchet-wheel attached thereto, of a second part having attached thereto a ratchet-wheel corresponding to, on the same shaft as, and facing the other ratchet-wheel, a spring interposed between and having its ends attached to the opposite faces of said wheels to prevent the parts from dropping when unclamped, and a device for clamping substantially as described.

2. The combination of a chair-seat having a ratchet-wheel on each side, a back pivoted to said seat, arm-rests pivoted to the back and seat, and each having a ratchet-wheel which meshes with the ratchet-wheels on the seat, a spring interposed between and attached to the opposite faces of said ratchet-wheels to prevent the parts from dropping when unclamped, and a clamping device, substantially as described.

3. The combination ofa chair-seat having a ratchet on each side, a back pivoted to said seat, arm-rests pivoted to the back and seat, and each having a ratchet-wheel at both ends, a head-rest pivoted to theback and having a ratchet-wheel on each side to mesh with the ratchet-wheels upon theauppe'r end of the arm-rests, and clamping devices which draw the seat and armmests, and the arm-rests, back, and head-rests together, sub-- stantially as described.

4. The combination of a chair-seat having a ratchet on each side, a back pivoted to said seat, arm-rests pivoted to the back and seat,

and each having a ratchet-wheel at both ends, a rod passing through both sides of the'seat, serving as bearings for the'ratchet-wheels, and having an eccentric clamping-lever, a headrest pivoted to the back and with the ratchet-wheels upon the upper end of the arm-rests, and a rod extending through the hack, arms, and head-rest, and having a clamping device on one end, for the purpose set forth.

5. In a rocking and reclining chair, the back A, in combination with the arm-rests B, the arm B, the metallic connecting-arm I), having the ratchet-wheel 1), formed integral therewith, the ratchet-wheel b the rocking member A, and the rod 0, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the back A,of the head-rest arms A", and the arm-rests B, the ratchet-wheels a a, providedwith the strapextension a the rod B, and the clamping-nut a substantially as described.

VIoToR HENRY, L. M. FREEMAN.

and arm-rests,

arm-rests, andhaving a ratchet-wheel on each side to mesh" 

